You Make Me Smile

People always tell you about how hard it is to be a parent, and they are so right.  It is literally the hardest thing Jeff and I have ever done.  You take two completely flawed human beings and give them perfect, pure little souls to raise.  You can’t hide your faults/flaws from those who are around you everyday.  So you try each and every day to be the best version of yourself for these tiny people.  It’s so hard.  I have already made so many mistakes I wish I could take back.  I need to work on my patience, temper, and strive to always have a positive attitude and show love to those around me.  Honestly, my list could go on and on.  I didn’t mean to make this into a “deep” post.

Rarely do you hear about what a JOY it is to be a parent.  We all have tough days.  We all have sleepless nights.  There are days when you have a hard time figuring out what you are going to feed your little birds 3 times in one day.  There are times when no matter how much you pick up, there will always be that one matchbox car you step on in the middle of the night.  There is always laundry piled to the ceiling, diapers to wash, dogs to bathe.  BUT there are blessings in each and ever thing that we might see as a “problem”.  My husband has a job so we can afford to feed our little birds 3 sometimes 5 times a day.  My children have plenty of toys to play with.  I am so proud to have a machine that washes and dries my clothes, etc, etc.

Milestones.  Memories.  Every day can be awesome.  No one told me how much FUN I would have as a parent!  This morning I was looking through old videos I took on my phone of the boys.  I am so proud of each and every one.  Last night Everett learned to walk.  Not just 3 steps and then fall down kinda walk, but really walking!  Up until now, he’d try and he’d get tired quickly.  Last night, you couldn’t stop him.  He’d stand right back up each time and keep going.  The smile on that kid’s face.  I just can’t tell you how happy he made us feel.  When they are old enough to start getting excited over new things they’ve learn… it’s just the coolest thing in the world to see those shiny eyes and beaming smile.

Being a parent rocks!  Being a mom rocks!  I literally have the coolest job.  I’m so grateful to my husband for working so hard, so I can be home with my babies and see every single milestone and memory being made.

So without further adieu, here is our little “walker”.

Everett learns to walk!

Growing Like a Weed

So, you know how people say their children are climbing up the walls?  I just thought that was a joke.  I mean, how do you actually climb up a wall?  Well, it’s true little boy…you actually CLIMBED the wall today.

And obviously since you know how to climb walls you know how to climb your crib.  You now pull yourself up on the bars, so you can prop up on them and talk to us.  Don’t worry, our bed is squished up to the crib and if you ever figure how to climb out you’d land on the bed.  I suppose it’s time to drop your crib down to the lower level.

I know this isn’t your 8 month post, but you have changed the most this month and I feel a mid-month post is due.  You are saying, “Dada,” and “Hey!” all the time.  It’s super cute.  You will climb over me in the mornings and say, “Hey!” Then you climb over to Dada and say, “Hey, Dada!”

Why do you have to be so big!?!

I took you in the shower with me the other day.  I wasn’t sure how you would do with the water spraying.  Well, you LOVED it!  You kept trying to “catch” the water in your hands.  You’re so adorable!  I bathed you in the kitchen sink, and switched the nozzle to spray, you did the same thing.  You were amazed.

You have started sticking out your tongue.  Not in a mean way, just in a discovery way.  You will smile and stick out your little tongue at the same time, which in turn produces oodles of slobber to run down your face.

You have learned the “throw it down and get someone to pick it up” game.  haha…not

Whenever someone else is holding you, and you see Mama you will stick your arms out and dive for me.  I secretly love this!  I love that you know I’m your Mama and you want to be in my arms.

You have refused to sleep!  You still fall asleep on your own, with little convincing, but you never stay asleep!  You are waking up every two hours and when you wake up you try to stay up!  This has been going on for two weeks now.  I feel like I have a newborn again!  They say when your baby has “developmental leaps” their sleep patterns change or are disturbed….something like that.

The weather is getting really nice, so we’ve been taking you and your brother outside a bit lately.  Daddy needed to fix his bike so we could start going on rides…you decided to help him:

Keira looks like she was guarding you.  She does that a lot.  When you sleep, she’s right by your side.  She’s very protective, though she still doesn’t want to play with you (you like to pull hair, remember?)  This was Daddy’s first time wearing you.  🙂  I wonder if he will be addicted to it like me?  I’m making a Mei Tai, so we can wear you at the zoo this weekend!  Hopefully I’ll be done by then.

You and Elijah got to ride in the bike trailer.  You fell asleep within a matter of minutes.

That’s you snoozing on the other side of Elijah!  You were snug as a bug back there!  We went down the trail and then had a picnic by the water.  You didn’t dare stay asleep for that.

Here’s you and Mama snuggling, on our picnic.

And here are your not so tiny feet.  They are so sweet and ticklish!

Elijah

Hey Elijah!!!  You will be 4 next month!  What!?!  I can’t believe we will have a 4 year old.  You’re practically grown…well, you think you are.  🙂  We have been doing some school stuff at home.  So far you can count to 20, say your ABC’s, know all your colors, learning your shapes, can write (almost by yourself) and recognize your name, color inside the lines, quote about 10 memory verses!  We are so proud of you.  You are going to be a super genius! I’m still debating on what “kind” of party to throw you.  I guess I need to start working on that.  You said you wanted to swim and go to a restaurant!  When I asked you what kind of cake you wanted you said, Banilla. 😛

We love to go on walks.  Your favorite is still riding your bike, while Dada, Mama, Everett, Keira, and Samson walk!  We have a great neighborhood to walk or ride!  Here’s looking for many sunny days to play, my sweet boy!